Book Read Free

Angel in the Shadows

Page 25

by Amy Deason


  “You’re in love with me?” Madison asked doubtfully. “What kind of sick fucking joke is this?” There was anger in her voice but it was dim as she struggled against the obvious pain.

  “It’s not a joke. I almost wish it were. But it’s not. Madison Sinclair, I love you. I’m in love with you. There, I’ve said it. Now will you please let me get you to a hospital?”

  “Wait a minute. Did I hear you correctly? The big, badass Seth Reynolds is asking for my permission to do something?” The sarcasm dripped from her voice, as thick as the blood that was escaping from the gaping hole in her shoulder. She turned her head and looked at the wall.

  Aggravated, he clenched his jaw and bit his tongue against the immediate retort that tried to escape him. Dropping down onto one knee, he grabbed her chin gently, forcing her to look at him. “Listen, I know you haven’t gotten to make a lot of decisions,” he began.

  “Um, how about none?” she interrupted, stubbornly resisting him.

  “Will you just shut up and listen?! Jesus, I have something to say and I only intend on saying it once.” He could not believe she was sitting here, covered in blood, trying to pick a fight with him. She drew her busted lips together in a thin line of frustration even as he spoke. God, he must be crazy falling in love with her. She was going to be the death of him yet. “I took away every choice, every decision that you had but I did what I had to. And I want to do that now. But instead, I’m giving you the choice. You can sit here and die or you can go to a hospital and live. If you don’t love me, fine. God knows I deserve that after everything I’ve done. And if you never want to see me again, I can do that, too. I will stay out of your life forever but only if you let me get you out of here. So Maddie, Madison, please let me save your life.”

  Madison narrowed her eyes and sat, quiet, absorbing everything he said. He could almost see the thoughts churning in her mind. The silence dragged out until he was sure he was going to have to go ahead and do what needed done to save her, with or without her permission. That would only piss her off more but at least she wouldn’t be dead. He could live with her anger and her hate but he couldn’t live with her death on his hands.

  He had made so many mistakes. He’d let Vance get to her, waited too long to save her, and then to top it off, he’d shot her. So many mistakes. He prayed that she would forgive him. Give him the chance to make it up to her. And he would. Every day for the rest of her life.

  He was amazed to find that he still had a conscience. He thought that it was long gone, destroyed, ripped out of him many years ago. Too much death, too much evil. No conscience could survive an assault of such horrendous proportions. He had seen too much, done too much in this life, such as it was. And yet, here it was, threatening to tear him apart if he let her die. She had saved him. Now he had to do the same for her.

  He was about to make a move when she finally broke the silence.

  “Okay, you can take me to the hospital but,” she said, staring hard at him, “only on two conditions.”

  “Name them and I will do it. I will do anything for you.”

  “Number one, tell me you love me again.”

  He could see the doubt lingering in her face. He never wanted to see that again. Cradling her face between his hands, he ran his thumbs gently over her cheekbones, erasing the stray tears. “Madison Sinclair, I have never loved anyone in my entire life. I never wanted to. Or expected to. But then you came along and blew all of my expectations to hell. So, now that you have me, you’re stuck with me. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you, making it up to you, and seeing what all this love nonsense is all about.”

  Madison looked at him flatly. “That was sweet but you didn’t say that you loved me.”

  “Damn it, woman, after all of that . . . Are you serious?” No one could be that stubborn. Could they?

  There was no answer as she sat waiting.

  “Okay, Madison Sinclair, I love you. Is that better?”

  “Yes,” she said, her lips forming a soft smile. “I love you, too, Seth Reynolds.” She leaned forward with a grimace and kissed him, pressing her lips to his. Although it had to hurt, she didn’t pull away.

  Finally breaking away from her, he looked at her. He was almost afraid to ask but it had to be done. “So, what’s condition number two?”

  “You never, ever make me get on another plane. Ever.”

  Seth laughed in spite of himself. “You got it babe.” He got to his feet and scooped her up, holding her close to his chest. Now that he had her, he was never going to let her go again. He stopped at the top of the stairs with a crooked smile on his face. “This time, we’re taking a helicopter.”

  Chapter 27

  The blades of the helicopter sliced through the air, causing the snow to swirl and dance. Catching the light of the moon, the flakes became prisms, shimmering in the cold, December air. Tucked deep inside Seth’s strong arms, Madison watched as the ground receded below them and though there was an initial thrill of uneasiness coursing through her, she wasn’t afraid. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe. She felt complete. How strange it was that the man beside her, the trained killer and deceiver, should be her salvation. He was the last thing she had ever expected to find and yet, now he was the only thing she never wanted to give up.

  “Hang in there, Maddie,” his soft voice whispered in her ear.

  His breath was warm and sweet on her face and he pulled her in closer. Wrapped in several thick blankets, she was warm despite the air flowing through the open doorways of the huge, metal chopper. The morphine she had been given to numb the pain was kicking in and she felt herself slipping into sleep. She struggled to remain awake, to be aware of what was happening and where they were going but the drug was too strong and Seth’s body next to hers was too warm and comfortable. From her position, she had a direct view of the pilot. Tall, dark, and handsome, he was a man she had never seen before. Nikolas Kozlov, an associate of Seth’s. His Russian accent was strong but she had been able to understand him easily. Dimly she wondered if it were a requirement that all members of Seth’s organization be so striking.

  “What’s going to happen now?” she murmured, her tongue feeling heavy in her mouth.

  “First you’re going to the hospital.”

  Blinking her eyes, she turned her head and looked up at him. “And then?”

  A soft smile, a gentle touch. “I don’t know yet. But whatever happens, you’ll be safe. I’m never letting you go, Maddie. Ever.”

  She saw the truth shining in his blue eyes and smiled. Leaning over, he kissed her tenderly as they began to climb into the sky.

  “ETA is twenty minutes,” Nikolas yelled back at Seth.

  With a quick nod of acknowledgement, the helicopter pilot left the ground.

  Hovering in the dark sky, Seth watched the cabin explode. In a massive ball of flame and black smoke, Vance Goldston disappeared. The mission was over, his job was complete. It was time to disappear again. Only this time, he would not be going alone.

  Seth looked down at the woman he held in his arms and knew he could never live without her. It was funny really. Throughout his entire life, he had never wanted or needed anything or anyone the way he did her. He’d been content to live in the shadows. To be a ghost as it were. Always running, hiding, killing. And then out of the blue, she came along, making him question everything he had ever known. “Maddie,” Seth said.

  “Hmmm,” she murmured back, her face tilted up, staring at him with one good eye.

  “This whole time I just thought you were someone in the wrong place at the wrong time. And that I was saving you.”

  “And that’s not the case now?” she asked, her words slurred with the drugs he’d given her.

  “No,” he answered, bending down to kiss the tip of her nose. “Your timing couldn’t hav
e been more perfect. You were the one saving me.” For whatever reason, he was being given a second chance. Another chance at life. Another chance at happiness. She was his salvation, his angel in disguise and he didn’t deserve her. At least not yet. But he would. With enough time, he could make her happy. He would be everything she needed and more. She deserved that and he would give it to her.

  Charlie wouldn’t like his sudden withdrawal from the organization but she would understand. He had served her well for many years now and the least she could do was to let him go. There would always be newer, younger operatives coming in to take his place. Men and women that needed Charlie’s help as much as she needed theirs. Life would go on in the Perfect Order. Just without him in it. And he could live with that. He could do anything as long as he had Madison.

  “I guess we saved each other,” Madison whispered. “But where do we go from here?”

  Careful not to hurt her, Seth pulled her to him. “Does it matter?”

  “No. As long as I’m with you, nothing else matters.”

  Seth stared down at her, his future, his life and knew she was right. As long as he had her, nothing else mattered. With a gentle smile, he leaned down and carefully placed his lips on hers, knowing he would never leave her side. Whatever she needed, whatever she wanted, he would do it. For the rest of their lives. He’d finally found where he was meant to be. Who he was meant to be. The truth was crystal clear and undeniable. She had his heart and that was just fine with him. Because now he belonged to her. Forever.

 

 

 


‹ Prev